Emma Beatrice (Jones) Shero, 89

Emma Beatrice (Jones) Shero, 89, passed away of natural causes on April 9, 2017, in Kalispell with her caring daughter, Una, and friend, Peggy, by her side.

Emma was born to Moses and Beatrice (Salois) Jones at home, Feb. 1, 1928, in Kalispell. She was the last born of seven brothers and one sister. She grew up on the family farm west of Kalispell and attended grade school at Smith Valley and high school at Flathead High School.

Following school, she married George Sager on March 2, 1946, in Kalispell. Together they had three children, Allan, Una and John. They moved to Hermiston, Oregon, where George worked at the ammunition depot in Umatilla. After they divorced in 1960, Emma moved her family back to Kalispell. She raised her three children on her own.

She worked as a waitress and cook for most of her working life. After her children were grown, she worked a short stint at Boeing in Seattle.

After a long friendship, on Dec. 15, 1971, she married Clifford Shero in Missoula and they had a happy life until his death on Nov. 6, 1974. She moved to San Diego for a while to live with her son, John, who was in the Navy. While living in Oregon for health reasons, she retired at age 60 and settled back in Kalispell to be near her family.

Throughout her life she enjoyed dancing and playing pinochle and bingo all around the valley. With the RSVP Volunteers Emma crocheted for the Winter Ready Montana Hat and Mitten program for Head Start and baby blankets and lap robes. For all of her hard work, she received a Gold Award Presidential Service Award from President Bush for 4,000 hours to which she added another 4,135 hours through 2013. Emma reluctantly stopped her volunteering in 2015 due to declining health. Emma also made many quilts cherished by family and friends. She loved visits and phone calls from her family and friends. That made her day!

Emma was preceded in death by her parents, Moses and Beatrice; her seven brothers, Tom, Toussaint, Alex, Bill, Dave, Philip and Abraham; and sister, Mary Bauer; granddaughter, Dawn Leighty; great-grandson, Kelly Kummer; and beloved husband, Cliff.

Emma is survived by sons, Allan Sager of Kalispell, and John Sager of Bremerton, Washington; and daughter, Una (Andy) Leighty, of Columbia Falls; grandchildren, Linda (Glen) Kummer of Lander, Wyoming, and Joshua Davis of Sheridan, Oregon; great-grandchildren, Kevin, Kyle and Kasey Kummer of Lander, and Cody and Sarah Davis of Sheridan; great-great-grandchildren, Kadance, Erik, Evan, Kelly and Karter Kummer, of Lander; and several nieces and nephews scattered around the valley and beyond.

While her family is saddened by her death, she’s finally at rest and with her beloved Cliff. Emma’s last days were comforted by the hospice nurses.

Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. May 8 at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery, with a gathering to follow at the Smith Valley Grange Hall, 2902 Hwy. 2 W., Kalispell.

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral home is caring for the family.